The Church of God at Goodwater, AL
Women's Missionary Band
It is the duty of the Womens Missionary Band to raise funds for missionary work around the world and to pray for the workers in His fields. It is with great joy and enthusiasm that we are faithfully engaged in these duties. Women of all ages, of all walks of life, from all around the world, are working together to accomplish this God-given task. By His grace we will send this message of salvation and the gathering of His people together around the world.
Missionary Leader:
Jennifer Horn
Dorcas Club
The Dorcas Club was established in remembrance of Dorcas, an outstanding seamstress of the Bible. For many years mission money has been raised through the efforts of this club. Members of this unique group make items for missions sales.
The Dorcas Club can be used for more than money-making projects. It can be utilized as a social environment to gain the interest of outside women or designated as a meeting for which the women plan no craft work, but rather have a devotion and divide up into groups for visitation.
Purpose of the WMB
The primary purpose of the band is to stimulate and solicit missionary funds for home and world missions. The band is to assist the pastor in providing suitable methods of increasing the missionary offering on the second Sunday of each month, as well as in the March and October World Missions drives, and in such other ways as may seem good to the band. The Women's Missionary Band assists the Church in many different ways. Some of those ways are: helps in training the young women of the Church; helps provide funds for both home land and other lands; helps gather clothing for home and foreign mission fields; helps to develop the Church by its prayer bands; and helps in the visitation of the Church.The Women's Missionary Band is vital to the mission endeavors in which the ladies are in control, but in which every person can be involved. It is a spiritual ministry and a fund-raising agency to help spread the gospel around the world. Although there may be times when coffee, tea, and a doughnut may be appropriate, the Women's Missionary Band is more than a Church society. It is a Church ministry.The only successful way to fulfill the purpose of the WMB Department is for each member to get into the "prayer closets" and pray down the inspiration and find the perfect will of God as to how to stimulate the giving of the necessary funds to be able to fulfill the Great Commission given only to The Church of God. Praying (getting the inspiration), planning, and preparing (organizing) will provide a place for the spirit of missions to prevail.
History of the WMB
The Church of God is responsible to preach the gospel. The doctrine is not to be kept hidden as a priceless treasure, but it is to be made known to all men in its pure form. The Great Commission to preach the gospel was given to the Church: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world... (Matthew 28:19-20). The Church is responsible to teach all nations all things. With this revelation came the understanding and inspiration for the Church to expand into the "Big Business Program" of 1928 which initiated the branching out of the Church through departments or auxiliaries.The Twenty-Third Annual Assembly, which convened in Cleveland, Tennessee was outstanding in that a number of actions were taken which have proved to be a great blessing to the advancement of the Church. A.J. Tomlinson, in his annual address to this Assembly, recommended that the women of the Church be organized into bands for the purpose of promoting missions. Thus, the Women's Missionary Band was birthed.